FCC Approves First White Space Device and Database

The Federal Communications Commission today approved the first device to make use of white space spectrum, and the first database that catalogs where that spectrum is. White space spectrum is the slices of airwaves that reside between television channels. The FCC wants to harvest that spectrum for mobile broadband use. The FCC has greenlighted Spectrum Bridge's white space database, which may begin operations starting January 26, 2012. The Office of Engineering and Technology has also approved a device made by Koos Technical Services that can make use of Spectrum Bridge's database and access white space spectrum for mobile broadband use. In order for unlicensed devices to access white space spectrum, they need to know what spectrum is available in any given market, hence the need for the database. The first market where this new system will work is Wilmington, N.C. It will eventually expand nationwide.

I always thought it was ridiculous how the government (i.e. FCC) can regulate airwaves. It's LIGHT. It's like regulating air: the government doesn't own it. It's basically a major limit on 1st amendment rights: they regulate the use of airwaves because we are allowed to communicate to the masses through them. Lame.